Lost and Found
by Rocket-Romancer
Summary: Musashi has had a terrible past and luckily Kojiro understands her more than she ever knew. Rocketshippy.


**Prologue**

The final round had come and gone so quickly leaving Musashi to sulk to the ground. She was disappointedly looking out to the audience making it easy for me to see the shining tears the filled her eyes. Pushing through the disappearing crowd, I was not fast enough to catch her as she ran off the stage. Concern wasn't even close to what my heart had been feeling, the sound of her cries always made me sick to my stomach. Just think, Musashi, the brave strong girl with no soul always looking to strike you in the face for every wrong move you made or every wrong step you walked now bawling like an infant.

That depiction of her being wicked and evil is far from the real Musashi I know. Yes, she is a little rough around the edges, well extremely rough but she was never given a choice. At a very young age Musashi lost her mother to a mission gone wrong which left her to fend for herself in this harsh world. She lived on the streets until about twelve years old risking her life to get just a small bite to eat each day. Lurking at night were convicts and murderers scoping out their prey, a petite girl fitting Musashi's description. Yet, she was already a victim of abandonment and broken dreams left to live in the shadows of what she could have become.

Sleeping by a dumpster seeking the shelter of a cardboard box on a cold, rainy night can do a lot to one's will. For Musashi, it only made her stronger giving her hope of a better tomorrow, a brighter future. If she wasn't as strong as she is now she might have not made it to today.

Growing up wealthy and never having to work for anything, I cannot speak from any experience yet I understand why she is the way she is. This is not held against her nor does it influence my feelings for her. She grew up poor and had to fight for the bare essentials which leaves me standing here fighting for the key to her heart.

Musashi's strength comes out in bursts of anger, hitting, kicking or screaming but her independence shines through along with the fear of being hurt. Fear is a weakness she cannot even hide from me, when she was lost she was alone now she has been found and still has a hard time opening up. I have a keen sense of seeing through her falsehoods though, what lies beneath that mask is a scared girl with a lot of love to give. The authorities may see her as a criminal but I see her as my best friend and I will protect her at all costs.

**Chapter One**

"Musashi! Wait up!," I shouted but she would not even look back at me. With every ounce of my strength I darted after her making her eventually slow down to rest under a tree. Her face was as pale of death, her eyes clouded with tears, the tears of defeat.

She takes losses very hard because she was always striving to be on top of everyone else. Competition was the flame raging in her heart while contests tended to that desire, that need to be number one. However, she has always been pushed right back down to the bottom, Rocketto Dan always fails no matter what. She knows this all too well but that doesn't stop any of us from trying. Top coordinator is Musashi's newfound dream, a dream that was within her reach today only to be snatched away.

"I'm sorry, I can never do anything right," she sobbed, burying her face into her palms. I slid my left arm over her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "You were fantastic out there, really!," I assured her.

She dried her eyes, "You mean you aren't mad at me?" Musashi was a fool if she thought I could be mad at her, heck, I can never bring myself to even get annoyed with her. "Mad at you? How...what in the world? Musashi, I am not mad at you, silly!," I said poking her on the nose playfully.

Musashi let a slight smile escape from her quivering lips as I continued to speak. "In fact, I am very proud of you, those appeals were stunning and deserve nothing but praise and you deserve this," I retorted, handing her a rose.

"Kojiro...this is beautiful," her whole face lit up. "Only the finest for you, my dear Musashi," I responded wittily. Testing my grounds, I put both my arms around her waist allowing me to pull her close and to my surprise she leaned her head onto my chest. This only lasted a few seconds, "Cut the mushy romantic antics Kojiro! We have a rodent to catch and you are avoiding duty, get on your feet!", she scolded standing up immediately. I knew she was hiding her feelings so I didn't let those gestures bother me the least, that was Musashi for you.


End file.
